Text size: increase text sizedecrease text size
From Orlando Sentinel

Orlando Magic tripped up by the Raptors in Toronto

Brian Schmitz | Sentinel Staff Writer
April 25, 2008

TORONTO - The Orlando Magic's season as one of the NBA's best road teams meant nothing to the Toronto Raptors and their fans who wore red shirts that read: I AM RED-Y FOR RAPTORS.

The Raptors finally were red-y, er, ready, from the start.

They overwhelmed the misfiring Magic 108-94 for their first win in the playoff series on Thursday night at Air Canada Centre in front of a raucous sellout crowd of 20,023.

"We let them set the way the game was going to be played and we couldn't stop them," Magic center Dwight Howard said. "It cost us the game."

Magic starting point guard Jameer Nelson was stricken with back spasms and collapsed on his way to the locker room after the game. Nelson lay on the floor and was helped up by teammates, but said afterward he was fine.

Toronto, trailing 2-1 in the best-of-seven series, has now won eight of its last nine games against the Magic in its building.

Despite their past struggles at Air Canada Centre, the Magic came into the game confident based on their franchise-record 27-14 road record.

But they looked rattled early, helping the Raptors correct their slow starts in Games 1 and 2. They committed 11 turnovers by halftime and trailed 61-40 as Toronto shot 53.3 percent.

After that, the Magic were playing catch-up.

The Magic cut the deficit to nine to begin the final period, but could never jump out of a 23-point hole dug in the first half as the Raptors blunted rallies the rest of the way with clutch shots. Jason Kapono's twin 3-pointers after the Magic sliced it to 11 with six minutes left nullified Orlando's last surge.

Orlando finished with 14 turnovers for 24 Toronto points.

"Eleven turnovers at the half . . . we can't do that and win in playoff basketball," shooting guard Keith Bogans said. "It was this team's first playoff game on the road, but we can't use that as an excuse. I would have liked to see us keep our poise better than we did."

After back-to-back 20-point, 20-rebound games in Orlando, Howard was held in relative check with 19 points and 12 rebounds. Hedo Turkoglu got going late and had 26, and Rashard Lewis added 19. Nelson scored just six points and shooting guard Mo Evans was shut out.

All season the Magic have been able to come back with their specialty shot -- the 3-ball -- but not this time. They made just 6-of-27 shots, and in fact, really haven't connected from downtown much since the first quarter of Game 1.

After hitting 9-of-11 from 3-point range in the opening quarter, the Magic are 17-of-75 for a chilly 22.7 percent.

Playing with a sense of desperation and direction, the Raptors won in an unusual manner.

They did it despite their star Chris Bosh scoring just three points at halftime and finishing with 15. Bosh's supporting cast was stellar as much-maligned point guard T.J. Ford -- 2-of-17 the previous two outings -- had 21 points on 7 of 11 shooting.

The Raptors played small and outrebounded the Magic 42-34, hustling to corral long rebounds.

And after Nelson and Keyon Dooling won the point-guard battle in Orlando, Ford and Jose Calderon (18 points on 6 of 11 shooting) pick-and-rolled the Magic into submission. "They had us running all over the place," Nelson said.

Toronto Coach Sam Mitchell had faced criticism for changing his lineup before Game 1 and watching it backfire. This time, sitting Rasho Nesterovic and returning Jamario Moon to the lineup, worked. Moon proved to be the call that Mitchell should have made, finishing with 11 points and 10 rebounds.

Game 4 is Saturday at 3 p.m.

"I definitely think we're still in control [of the series]," Lewis said.


Brian Schmitz can be reached at bschmitz@orlandosentinel.com.

Related topic galleries: Toronto Raptors, Keith Bogans, Sam Mitchell, Jameer Nelson, Rashard Lewis, Dwight Howard, National Basketball Association

Get breaking news | Most popular stories | Dining and Travel deals all via e-mail!

Copyright © 2008, Orlando Sentinel

Guide to Islanders hockey

Islanders fan guide

Team history, directions, nearby eats and other fun & useful info for Islanders fans.

Latest scores

Buy tickets

My Long Island

Jets photos
Your sports photos

Yanks. Mets. Jets. Giants. Knicks. High schools. Upload your photos now.